Energy and Buildings

Save on Energy and Enbridge Gas, supported by the Ontario government, have partnered to deliver this new program to help Ontarians improve their home efficiency and comfort. Whether you heat your home with natural gas or electricity, this program offers significant rebates for energy-efficient upgrades like insulation, heat pumps, smart thermostats, solar panels and more.

You can choose to complete a home energy assessment and bundle up, or you can also complete single upgrades that help you save.

Learn more about Home Renovations Savings Program

Home Solar Accelerator from The Atmospheric Fund (TAF) is a non-profit concierge-style service that guides homeowners through the solar process – from assessing your roof to choosing a vetted installer. Homeowners receive:

• A personalized assessment of your roof, costs, potential savings, and financing options
• A dedicated solar advisor who works for you, not an installer
• Two to three proposals from pre-screened installers who meet quality, licensing and conduct standards

Learn more about Home Solar Accelerator

Enbridge Sustain offers custom energy solutions, end-to-end services and financing to help homeowners make their homes more energy-efficient.

Energy solutions include:

• Geothermal/ground-source heat pumps
• Hybrid heating with air-source heat pumps
• Solar options including solar photovoltaic (PV) panels
• At-home EV charging stations

Financing:

• Choose from flexible financing options and rental agreements.
• Equipment contracts typically match the expected product life (15 – 25 years)

Learn more about Enbridge Sustain

The MyHEAT Thermal Map is an educational resource for Burlington residents to help you see your home’s heat loss from a bird’s-eye view and compare it to similar homes in your neighbourhood.

Enbridge Gas has partnered with MyHEAT to collect aerial rooftop infrared heat loss information in the cities of Burlington, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, and Markham. This information was used to build a heat loss map and heat loss rating for each residential home in these communities.

Enter your address in the “Search for your address” search bar. You will be redirected to a webpage containing a free, detailed home heat loss report, which includes the following: heat map, heat rating and calculator, heat loss exploration tool, and energy upgrade energy savings calculator

Learn more about MyHEAT Thermal Map

Enbridge Gas customers who live in a detached, semi-detached or row townhomes can get an instant rebate towards a qualifying smart thermostat purchase at specific retailers.

Burlington residents could be eligible to receive: $75 instant discount when you buy a smart thermostat.

Learn more about Smart Thermostat Program

Participants in Peak Perks save with their smart thermostats by participating in brief, time-limited thermostat adjustments during periods of peak electricity demand that can occur on the hottest summer days.

You will receive a $75 virtual prepaid MasterCard® when you enroll in the program, and a $20 virtual prepaid MasterCard® for each additional year you stay enrolled.

Learn more about Peak Perks

The Energy Affordability Program offers free energy-efficiency upgrades for income-eligible homeowners and tenants, and eligible social housing providers, as well as an in-home energy assessment to help uncover more ways to save.

Learn more about Energy Affordability Program

The Home Winterproofing Program can help you lower your natural gas bill and make your home more comfortable. If your home and household income levels qualify, you’ll get free insulation, draft proofing and a smart thermostat to reduce energy costs up to 30 per cent.

Learn more about Home Winterproofing Program

If you’re behind on your electricity or natural gas bill or are in arrears and may face having your service disconnected, you may qualify for emergency financial help through the Low-income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP). There are also special customer service rules available for low-income households. You need to meet certain criteria to qualify for these programs, and must go through one of the identified intake agencies in Ontario.

Learn more about Low-Income Energy Assistance Program

Space heating accounts for 60 per cent of the energy used in the average Canadian home. For propane, oil, and electrically heated homes, you may be able to reduce your heating costs by up to 50 per cent if you install an all-electric air-source heat pump while also reducing GHGs.

An air-source heat pump is an electrical device that uses the difference between outdoor air temperatures and indoor air temperatures to cool and heat your home.

Acting as a high-efficiency air conditioner in the summer, and a heater in the winter, an air-source heat pump uses a refrigerant that responds to temperature. In summer, a heat pump will move heat out of your home and release it outdoors. In fall, it brings heat into your home from outside, even when it’s chilly (0°C).

Things to Consider

• Pair with a smart thermostat, to better manage your home’s energy use.
• When buying any heat pump, two ratings will help you determine the unit’s efficiency:
  • the Heating Seasonal Performance Factors (HSPF) that determines the efficiency during winter; and
  • the Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) is used for summer.
• In both cases the higher the number, the better the efficiency.
• An ENERGY STAR® certified air-source heat pump which use on average, 5% less energy than a standard model.
• Before you buy, get an EnerGuide home energy evaluation and check with your municipality, utility or retailer to see if there are any rebates available.

Learn more about energy efficiency for homes

Ground-source heat pumps, also known as geothermal heat pumps, use the earth, groundwater or both to heat your home in the winter and cool it in the summer, and supply hot water. Ground-source heat pumps are more effective at heating homes during Canadian winters and provide greater energy savings than air-source heat pumps because in the winter underground temperatures are higher than air temperatures.

Ground source heating produce less CO2 than other forms of space heating systems.

Things to Consider

• Ground-source heat pumps are expensive and the installation process requires significant work and disruption to your garden, but they have a long life expectancy. The indoor components (the heat pump) typically last for 25 years, while the ground loops can last for more than 50 years.
• Ground source heat pumps will generally heat your unit at a slightly lower temperature than a traditional gas or electric unit.
• Pair your heat pump with a smart thermostat, to better manage energy use.
• Service your pump at the end of the summer, before the next heating season.
• Before you buy, get an EnerGuide home energy evaluation and check with your municipality, utility or retailer to see if there are any rebates available.

Learn more about energy efficiency for homes

A ductless mini-split system is an energy-efficient heating and cooling system that doesn’t require ductwork, making them ideal for older electrically-heated homes and/or homes with no ductwork. Also known as ductless heat pumps, they take advantage of the difference in temperature between outdoor and indoor air to heat or cool a room. The temperature can be adjusted through a wall-mounted console, remote control or smartphone app. Ductless units require only a very small hole to be drilled into an exterior wall, making them less vulnerable to air leakage and security problems.

Mini-splits also avoid the energy losses associated with ductwork, which can account for more than 30 per cent of the energy used to heat or cool indoor air.

Things to Consider

• Pair with a smart thermostat, to better manage your home’s energy use.
• For installation, hire a professional heating and cooling technician who can determine the right product and size for your home and climate.
• Before you buy, get an EnerGuide home energy evaluation and check with your municipality, utility or retailer to see if there are any rebates available.

Learn more about energy efficiency for homes

Air sealing impacts the building envelop of your home. The building envelop is the physical separator between the conditioned and unconditioned environment, including the resistance to air, water, heat, light, and noise transfer. Older homes typically have more air leaks, around windows and doors, electrical outlets, and cracks in the foundation and walls. You can seal air leaks in your home with weather-stripping and caulking or by applying gaskets and tapes.

Things to Consider

• Be sure to check window glazing, thresholds and door/window frames and electrical outlets and switches as potential sources of air leakage.
• Choose premium caulks for durability. Practice running and smoothing beads before you do the actual job.
• Check the size and colour of doors and windows before purchasing weather-stripping to ensure you buy the right product. Adhesive-backed foams and tapes can lose their effectiveness over time so you may need to replace it every few years.
• Before you start your project get an EnerGuide home energy evaluation and check with your municipality, utility or retailer to see if there are any rebates available.

Learn more about energy efficiency for homes